Perforating, scoring or slitting device for folding machine

ABSTRACT

A device for perforating, scoring or slitting folded sheets of paper as they emerge from a folding machine. The device is permanently mounted in the folding machine and is pivotably connected to a movable panel forming part of a housing for the folding machine so that it can be readily shifted between an operative position and an inoperative position when the housing panel is open and maintained in either position when the housing panel is closed.

United States Patent References Cited [72] Inventors ThomasJ.Gavaghanlike PATENIEU FEBI 61971 SHEET 1 0F 3 PATENTEDFEBI 6197i y SHEET l3 of 3@ym Q mm m .n w Mfg/ N@ I NQ Vu ,www mm. .am mm .u w 4( @my N T AB #X QQl@ Nm. wm p. [Q Q% NN mi QM. 2,/ ww mms ma wm d w v@ Qm. S u Q QN Q N\\NN N\ V ma@ 12M-gm.

,PERFORATING, SCORING OR SLITTING DEVICE FOR FOLDING MACHINE BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to folding machinesand more particularly to a device for perforating, scoring or slittingfolded sheets of paper as they emerge from the folding machine.

Machines to which the present invention relates have long been wellknown in the paper handling art and have enjoyed great commercialsuccess. In general, these machines have the capabilities ofsuccessively feeding sheets of paper of various sizes from a stack intoand through a folding mechanism and discharging the folded sheets in asuitably stacked arrangement. For the most part these machines areadjustable configuration, such as letter fold, accordion fold or singlefold. The folded sheets are generally delivered to some form of stackingtray or feeder in staggered relationship ready to be inserted intoenvelopes, although in some instances the folding machines may beattached to orotherwise operatively associated with other paper handlingmachines, for example, an envelope stuffing machine.

While most prior art folding machines have proven adequate the demandsmade upon them, it frequently occurs that other types-of workingoperations must be performed on the sheets subsequent to the foldingoperation, which operations the folding mechanism itself is not capableof performing. For example, it is often desirable to provide aperforated line along a sheet of paper to define a tear-off portion of aletter which the addressee is asked to return to the sender. Anotherexample is a memorandum or notice printed twice on the same sheet ofpaper for convenience in printing, in which case it is desirable to slitthe sheet of paper in half prior to final disposition. A further exampleof a desirable working operation subsequent to folding is the situationwhere it is necessary to pass a folded sheet through the folding machinea second time in order to achieve further folding and reduction in sizeof the sheet. ln this situation it has been found that if the foldedsheet' is initially scored along the desired fold lines, a more uniformand uncrimped fold is obtained and with less jamming of the foldedsheets during the subsequent folding operation.

Some prior art folding machines have, accordingly, been provided with avariety of devices for performing these subsequent working operations,such asrperforating, slitting, or scoring, on the folded sheets as'theyemerge from the final feeding elements of the folding machine. Whilethese devices have for the most part proven to be satisfactory forperforming their intended functions, they have generally suffered thesignificant disadvantage of being extremely difficult to enable anddisable for operation at will by an operator of the folding machine. Thereason for this is that prior art perforating, slitting and scoringdevices usually utilize either permanently mounted working elements forperforming these functions which can only be removed by substantialdisassembly of a portion of the folding machine, or the working elementsare in the form of an attachment which, in one relatively complicatedform or another, must be connected to and disconnected from the foldingmachine for use or nonuse respectively. Since these devices must bedriven, complications usually occur in effecting a driving connectionwith the folding machine since the operation of the working device mustbe synchronized with the operation ofthe folding machine. Also, in thelatter situation, the devices must be stored when not in use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF .THE INVENTlON The present invention obviates oreliminates many if not all ofthe disadvantages of prior art perforating,scoring or slitting devices by providing such a device which isself-storing in the folding machine and is readily movable into and outof operative relationship with the folding mechanism by a very simplemanipulation ofthe device.

LII

In its broader aspects, the principles of the present invention areembodied in a unitary paper working assembly which is disposed on thedischarge side of the working components of the folding machine and ismounted thereon for selective movement between an operative position inwhich the working assembly is disposed in the discharge path of a foldedsheet, and a storage position in which the working assembly is disposedout of the discharge path of the folded sheet.

ln some of its more limited aspects, the device of the present inventionconstitutes an improvement in folding machines and comprises a unitaryassembly having a frame for rotatably supporting a pair of shafts whichhave a plurality of feeding rollers and working rollers carried thereon.The frame is pivotably connected to a panel forming part of the housingof the folding machine whereby the frame and shafts can be disposed inone of two spaced apart positions adjacent a surface of the panel bymoving the frame about the pivot axis. The panel is pivotably connectedto the frame of the folding machine for movement between a closedposition in which the panel is spaced from the working components of thefolding machine and perpendicular to the feeding path of folded sheetsbeing discharged therefrom, and an open position in which the side ofthe panel on which the frame of the perforating, scoring and slittingdevice is mounted is readily accessible to an operator. The pivotableconnections of the device frame to the panel and panel to the machineframe respectively are so related that when the panel is in its closedposition the device frame, when in one of its alternate positions,lwillsupport the shafts and feed rollers and working rollers thereon inalignment with the discharge path of the folded sheets emerging from thefolding machine. On the other hand, with the device frame in its otherposition, the shafts and feeding rollers and working rollers carriedthereby are disposed away from the discharge path of the folded sheets.The device frame can be manually moved between the alternate positionwhen the panel is in its open position, and means are provided forretaining the device frame in either of the positions in which it isplaced.

Having briefly described the general nature and characteristics of thepresent invention, it is a principle object thereof to provide animproved device for perforating, scoring or slitting folded sheets foruse in conjunction with a sheet folding machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of thecharacter described which is self storing in the folding machine.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character described which is easily shiftable from an operativeposition to an nonoperative position without the necessity of anydisassembly of either the device or the folding machine. l

Itis a still further object of the present invention to provide a deviceof the character described which is retained in either an operative ornonoperative position in response to the device being placed in thesepositions.

lt is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device ofthe character describedwhich does not interfere with normal operation ofthe folding machine when the device is in a nonoperative position andwhich is automatically connected to the drive chain of the foldingmachine when the device is shifted to an operative position.

A significant feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof means for automatically removing normal spring tension from pairs ofcoacting working rollers when the device is in a nonoperative position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of ofthe character described which is relatively simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, is reliable in operation and which requires little or nomaintenance.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily appreciated from an understanding of the following detaileddescription of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal across section of only so much of afolding machine as is necessary to an understanding of the device of thepresent invention, alternate positions thereof being shown in solid anddotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a front view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3-is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the device of the presentinvention in a different position; and

FIG. 4 is a side view drawn to an enlarged scale of the perforating,scoring and slitting assembly of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings andmore particularly to FIGS. l and 2 thereof, the folding machinedesignated generally by the reference numeral comprises a pair ofparallel upstanding side plates l2 and 14 which define a frame forsupporting all of the necessary components of the folding machine. Apaper supporting tray 16 having suitable side guides (not shown) holds astack of sheets to be folded, the paper tray being disposed in suitableangled relationship to facilitate feeding of the sheets seriatim by afeed roller 18 mounted on a shaft 20 which is rotatably supported by abracket 22 connected to the folding machine frame.

The roller 18 cooperates with a stationary separator element 24 in orderto insure that only a single sheet is feed at one time. A slot 26 isprovided in the paper tray 16 through which the separator element 24contacts the lower surface of successive sheets of paper.

A plate 28 is supported between the side plates 12 and 14 and defines aforward wall for the paper tray compartment of the folding machine. Theplate 28 has a forwardly extending guide portion 30 which, together withthe forward end 32 of the paper tray 16, defines a passageway 34 forsheets of paper to be folded. The plate 28 terminates in a turn aroundguide 36 for directing sheets of paper into the nip between a feedroller 38 mounted on a shaft 40 and another feed roller 42 mounted on ashaft 44 disposed in spaced parallel relationship with the shaft 40. Theshafts 40 and 44 and feed rollers 38 and 42 respectively mounted thereonare disposed adjacent the inlet end 46 ofa buckle chute 48. The bucklechute 48 may be any desired or known construction for the purpose ofthis invention, and for convenience of illustration is shown ascomprising a pair of closely spaced parallel plates 50 and 5l and havingan adjustable stop element (not shown) located between the plates andagainst which the edge of a sheet of paper abuts in order to stopmovement thereof and cause the sheet to buckle for folding as moreclearly described hereinafter.

A further feed roller 52 is mounted on a shaft 54 in position tocooperate with the feed roller 42, the rollers 52 and 42 forming a firstfold in a sheet of paper and feeding the folded lead edge to the inletend 55 of a second buckle chute 56 located beneath the buckle chute 48.

The buckle chute 56 may also be of any desired or wellknown constructionand again for convenience of illustration is shown as comprising a pairof closely spaced parallel plates S8 and S9 and having an adjustablestop (not shown) located between the plates and against which the foldedlead edge of the sheet abuts in order to stop movement thereof and causethe sheet to buckle again for effecting a subsequent fold. It will beobserved that both buckle chutes 48 and 56 are provided with shapedguide surfaces adjacent the inlet end of each chute for assisting thesheets of paper to buckle in the right direction and for guiding thebuckled portion of the sheet toward the next set of folding rollers.

A further feed roller 60 is mounted on a shaft 62 in position tocooperate with the roller 42 to impart a second fold to a sheet of paperand to feed the sheet between the roller 42 and 60 and thence out of thefolding machine.

lt will now be apparent that the guides 30 and 36, and rol lers 38. 42,52 and 60 all constitute a feeding and folding roller assembly mountedon the folding machine frame. lt will also be apparent, as best seen inFIG. 3, that the nip of the rollers 42 and 60 and a plane extendingsubstantially parallel therefrom for at least a short distance define adischarge path for folded sheets of paper emerging from the feeding andfolding roller assembly.

For the sake of convenience the folded sheets being discharged at asubstantially high rate of speed are collected on a suitable tray orpowered stacker mechanism, an example of the latter being shown in thedrawings in which an endless belt 64 passes around a driven shaft 66 andan idler shaft (not shown), the upper reach of the belt traveling over asuitable support 68 so as to receive the discharged folded sheets andstack them in staggered relationship in a manner well known in the art.

The operation of the apparatus as thus far described is as follows:

A stack of sheets to be folded is placed in the paper tray 16 with thelead edges of the sheets slightly staggered, the upper sheet beingforemost. The roller 18 in cooperation with the separator element 24,feeds the top most sheet into the passageway 34 and around guide 36until the sheet is picked up in the nip of rollers 38 and 42. Theserollers feed the sheet into the upper buckle chute S0 until the leadofthe sheet abuts the stop element of the buckle chute 50. At thatinstant the sheet buckles downwardly in the area of the inlet end 46 ofthe buckle chute 50, and the buckled portion of the sheet enters the nipof the rollers 42 and 50 which effect a fold in the sheet which nowconstitutes a new lead edge. The rollers 42 and 52 then feed the sh'eetdownwardly to the inlet end 55 of the buckle chute 56 where the leadedge is deflected into the buckle chute, until it engages the stopelement in this buckle chute. Continued rotation of the feed rollers 42and 52 causes the sheet to buckle again in the area of the inlet end 55of the buckle chute 56, the buckle extending forwardly toward the nip ofthe rollers 42 and 60. The rollers 42 and 52 feed the sheet to cause thebuckled portion of the sheet to be picked up in the nip of the rollers42 and 60 which effect a second fold in the sheet again forming a newfolded lead edge. The rollers 42 and 60 then feed the fully folded sheetalong the discharge path and out of the folding machine, and cause thefolded sheet to be deposited on the upper reach of the traveling belt 64of the stacker tray. As soon as the trail edge of the first sheet leavesthe feed roller 18 a second sheet is started along the same path.However, since the rollers 38, 42, 52 and 60 are rotating at a muchhigher rate of speed than the roller 18, the trail edge of the firstsheet is completely clear of the nip of the rollers 38 and 42 before thelead edge of the next sheet arrives at this point.

All of the above described rollers and shaft, including the shaft 66 forthe belt 64, are driven by any suitable power source and through anydesired power chain which will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art.

The improvement of the present invention comprises the provision of aunitary paper working assembly generally indicated by reference numeral70 located adjacent the discharge area of the folding machine andmounted thereon so as to be self storing and selectively movable betweenan operative position, as shown in FIG. l, in which the working assemblyis disposed in the discharge path of a folded sheet, and a storageposition, as shown in FIG. 3, in which the working assembly is disposedout of discharge path of the folded sheet.

More particular, the paper working assembly 70 comprises a generallyrectangular subframe having an elongate relatively narrow plate 72extending substantially across the operative length of the feeding andfolding roller assembly, and a pair of side plates 74 and 76 formedintegrally with the plate 72 and extending perpendicular thereto. A pairof shafts 78 and 80 are rotatably supported in suitable bushings 82which are carried by the side plates 74 and 76. The shafts 78 and 80 areremovable from the bushings 82 for a purpose to be hereinafter madeclear.

Each shaft carries a plurality of selected feeding rollers and workingrollers which cooperate with each other to simultaneously feed foldedsheets and perform various working operations thereon as they passbetween the shafts 78 and 80 when the working assembly is in anoperative position as more .clearly seen hereinafter. Specifically, butfor the purpose of illustration only, the shafts 78 and 80 are shown ascarrying two pairs of spaced apart feed rollers 84 and 86 for feedingthe folded sheets between the shafts. The shaft 80 may also carry ascoring roller 88 which cooperates with a flat resilient roller 90 onthe shaft 78 to provide a score line on the folded sheet las it passesbetween the rollers 88 and 90. The shaft 80 may also carry a slittingroller 92 which cooperates with agrooved roller 94 in order to effect aslit in the folded sheet as it passes between the rollers 92 and 94. Theshaft 80 may further carry a perforating roller 96 which cooperates witha grooved roller i 98 similar to the roller 94 in order to effect aperforated line across the folded sheet as it passes between the rollers96 and 98. lt will be apparent that the feeding rollers 84 and all ofthe working rollers 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 and 98 are mounted so as to beadjustable axially of the shafts .78 and 80 as well as removable fromthe shafts so that any desired arrangement of the feeding rollers and/orworking rollers may be set up in order to achieve a particular result.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the bushings 82 rotatably supporting the shaft80 are fixedly mounted in the plates 74 and 76. However, the bushingsfor the shafts 78 are mounted in slots 100 formed in the side plates 74and 76 whereby the shaft 78 is displaceable toward and away from theshaft 80. A pair of springs 102 are captured between the under side ofthe bushings 82 and the bottom of the slots 100, a prong 104 beingprovided in each slot 100 to maintain the springs 102 in place. Thesprings continuously urge the shaft 78 toward the shaft 80 in order tomaintain operative engagement between the several rollers on each shaft.

Each side plate 74 and 76 is provided with an outwardly projecting stud106 and 108 respectively, the studs being received in apertures formedin the side flanges 110 and 112 of a substantially flat panel 114 whichforms a front cover for the folding machine 10. As best seen in FIG. 1,the studs 106 and 108 on the working assembly 70 and the apertures inthe side flanges 110 and panel 112 of the panel 114 comprise a pivotablemounting means by which the assembly 70 can be swung through a 180 arcbetween two spaced apart positions on the panel 114. By comparison ofFIG. 1 and FIG. 3, it will be seen that in one of these positions(FIG. 1) the assembly 70 is disposed in an operative position in whichit lies in the discharge path of folded sheets emerging from betweenrollers 42 and 60, while in the other position (FIG. 3) the assembly 70is disposed in a nonoperative or storage position in which it is out ofthe discharge path of the folded sheets, both of these positions beingin a plane perpendicular to the discharge path and being assumed by theassembly 70 when the panel 114 is in a closed position as shown insolidlines in FIGS. l and 3.

Panel 114 is pivotably mounted on the frame plates l2 and 14 of thefolding machine as by screws 115 passing through the flanges 110 and 112adjacent the lower end thereof. The panel 114 is provided with an Lshaped extension 116 adapted to overlie a portion of the top of thefolding machine and be secured thereto by any suitable connection, suchas the spring biased stud 118 mounted on the plate 114 and engaging adetent or aperture defining element 120 mounted on a flange 122 adjacentthe upper L portion 116 of the panel 114. By this construction the panel114 is movable between a closed position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1and 3 and an open position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 in which theinner surface of the panel and the paper working assembly 70 mountedthereon are accessible for manual movement thereof.

It will now be seen that when the panel 114 is moved to the openposition, the working assembly 70 is accessible to an voperator of themachine and can be manually swung between either of the positions whichit normally assumes when the panel is closed. The relative locations ofthe pivotable connecting means between the working assembly 70 and thepanel 114 on the one hand and between the panel 114 and the foldingmachine frame on the other hand are such that the working assembly 70 isdisposed in an operative position with the shafts 78 and 80 disposed onopposite sides of the discharge path of the folded sheets emerging frombetween the rollers 42 and 60 when the panel 114 is in the closedposition.

As best seen in FIG. 2 which shows the working assembly 70 in theoperative position, the panel 114 is cut away along the lowermost edgethereof over substantially the length of the shafts 78 and 80 to providean opening 124 through which the folded sheets exit after passingthrough the working assembly 70. Thus, this opening is also disposed inalignment with the discharge path of the folded sheets when the panel114 is in its closed position.

A significant feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof cooperating means between the panel 114 and the workingassembly 70for retaining the latter in either of its spaced apart positions on thepanel 114, together with means for automatically separating the shafts78 and 80 against the force of the springs 102 when theworking assemblyis in the storage position.

More particular, the panel 114 is provided with a pair of spaced apartretaining members for the working assembly 70, each member comprising aprojection 126 upstanding from the inner face of the panel 114 andhaving the edge thereof remote from the pivot ,axis being disposed at anangle of almost to the surface of the panel 114 but slanted slightlyaway from the pivot axis of the working assembly 70 in the directionaway from the surface of the panel 114. Another edge 130 adjacent thepivot axis of the working assembly 70 is similarly slanted but at'a muchsteeper angle. The edges 128 and 130 merge in a rounded end 131, and areinforcing web 132 is secured to the projection 126 at right anglesthereto. It will be seen that the shafts 78 and 80 are not round incross section over a major portion of their length, but are providedwith a plurality of flat surfaces. The projections 126 are so positionedon the inner face of the panel 114 in relation to the pivot axis of thenew working assembly '70 that when the latter is moved to its storageposition on the panel 114, the shaft 78 does not clear the end 131 ofthe projections 126, but rather is engaged by the ends 131 and is movedaway from the shaft 80 by the camming action of the curved ends 131against the force of springs 102 thereby separating the several pairs ofcooperating rollers. When the working assembly 70 has been moved fullyto the storage position in which it lies substantially in contact withthe inner face of the panel 114, one of the flat surfaces on the shaft78 is pressed firmly against the edge 128 of each projection 126 by thesprings 102 thereby holding the working assembly 70 in this position.

In order to drive the shafts 78 and 80 and the several feeding andworking rollers mounted thereon, means are provided for engaging theshafts in driving relationship with a power takeoff from the foldingmachine automatically in response to the working assembly 70 beingplaced in the operative position on the panel 114 and the panel beingmoved to its closed position. This means, in cooperation with the panel114, also functions to hold the working assembly in the operativeposition.

More particular, the shaft 44 of the folding machine carries a drivegear which meshes with an idler gear 142 rotatably mounted on a bracket144 secured to the frame plate 12 of the folding machine. A driven gear146 is mounted on the shaft S0 of the working assembly 70 adjacent theside plate 76 and in alignment with the idler gear 144. Thus it will beseen by comparison of FIGS. 1 and 3 that when the working assembly 70 isin the operative position, the driven gear 146 on the shaft 80 mesheswith the idler gear 142 whereby the latter drives the gear 146 and theshaft 80, the shaft 78 being driven by frictional contact between thepairs of feed rollers.

It will also be noted that when the working assembly 70 is in theoperative position shown in FIG. 1 with the abovedescribed gear train inengagement, the bar 72 of the working assembly subframe is against theinner surface of the panel 114, the latter being closed. Thus theworking assembly is effectively firmly held in the operative positionmerely by closing the panel 114.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that there is provided aperforating, scoring or slitting device for use with a folding machinewhich avoids the disadvantages of prior art devices and which achievesthe above-mentioned objects. lt is to be understood, however, that thepresent invention is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosedherein which merely exemplifies the principles of the invention and isthe best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention, andis susceptible to change in form, size, detail and arrangement of partsbut rather the invention is intended to cover all such modifications,variations and equivalents thereof as may be deemed to be within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. In a paper folding machine having a frame, means supported by theframe for holding a stack of sheets and for feeding said sheets seriatimfrom the stack, means including a feeding and folding roller assemblymounted on said frame for sequentially folding said sheets as the latterare received by said latter means from said feeding means and fordischarging the folded sheets from between apair of cooperating rollersof said roller assembly on a discharge side thereof, and means fordriving the roller components of said roller assembly, the improvementcomprising:

A. a unitary working assembly located on said discharge side of saidroller assembly and adapted, when in an operative position to perform aworking operation on a folded sheet passing therethrough;

B. means movably mounting said working assembly on said frame forselective inplace movement between said operative position in which saidworking assembly is disposed in the discharge path of a folded sheetbeing discharged by said cooperating rollers of said roller assembly anda self-storing position in which said working assembly is disposed outof said discharge path; and

C. means for retaining said working assembly in each of said positions.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said working assemblycomprises:

A. a subframe movably mounted on said frame;

B. a pair of shafts rotatably supported by said subframe; and

C. a plurality of coacting feed rollers and working rollers carried bysaid shafts for simultaneously feeding a folded sheet between saidshafts and performing a working operation thereon when said workingassembly is in said operative position whereby said feed rollers andworking rollers are removed into and out of said discharge path of afolded sheet by movement of said subframe between said operative andstorage positions respectively.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for movablymounting said working assembly on said frame comprises:

A. a panel pivotably connected to said frame for swinging movementtoward and away from said frame between a closed position and an openposition in which the inner surface of panel is accessible; and

B. means pivotably connecting said working assembly to said innersurface of said panel for swinging movement between opposed spaced apartpositions on said panel whereby said working assembly assumes eithersaid operative position or said storage position when said panel is insaid closed position.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said paper workingassembly comprises:

A. an elongate generally rectangular subframe connected to said panel tonormally lie in a plane perpendicular to said discharge path of a foldedsheet;

B. a pair of shafts rotatably supported on said subframe longitudinallythereof; and

C. a plurality of coacting feed rollers and working rollers carried bysaid shafts for simultaneously feeding a folded sheet between saidshafts and performing a working operation thereon when said workingassembly is in said operative position whereby said feed rollers andsaid working rollers are moved into and out of a position of alignmentwith opposite sides of said discharge path of a folded sheet by movementof said subframe between said spaced apart positions on said panel andwhen said panel is subsequently moved to said closed positions.

5. ln a paper folding machine having a frame, means supported by theframe for holding a stack of sheets and for feeding said sheets seriatimfrom the stack, means including a feeding and folding roller assemblymounted on said frame for sequentially folding said sheets as the latterare received by said latter means from said feeding means and fordischarging the folded sheets from between a pair of cooperating rollersof said roller assembly on a discharge side thereof, and means fordriving the roller components of said roller assembly, the improvementcomprising:

A. a substantially flat panel mounted on said frame on the dischargeside of said roller assembly and having an opening therein through whicha folded sheet can pass;

B. means pivotally connecting said panel to said frame for swingingmovement between a closed position in which an inner surface of saidpanel is spaced from said roller assembly and is perpendicular to saiddischarge path of a folded sheet, with said opening being aligned withsaid discharge path, and an open position in which said inner surface ofsaid panel is accessible;

C. a unitary paper working assembly mounted on said panel adjacent saidinner face thereof and adapted, where in an operative position on saidpanel when the latter is in said closed position, to perform a workingoperation in a folded sheet;

D. means pivotably connecting said working assembly to said innersurface of said panel for selective swinging movement between opposedspaced apart positions in one of which said working assembly is disposedadjacent said opening in said panel and in the other of which saidworking assembly is disposed away from said opening in said panelwhereby, when said panel is moved to said closed position, said workingassembly is in said operative position or in an inoperative storageposition in accordance with whether said working assembly is placed insaid one position or said other position on said panel; and

E. means for retaining said working assembly in either said one positionor said other position on said panel.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said working assemblycomprises:

A. a subframe having an elongate bar extending substantially across theworking length of said roller assembly, and side plates connected tosaid bar and extending perpendicularly thereto;

B. a pair of shafts rotatably supported by said side plates;

C. a plurality of coacting feed rollers and working carried by saidshafts for simultaneously feeding a folded sheet between said shafts andperforming a working operation thereon when said working assembly is insaid operative position whereby said feed rollers and said workingrollers are moved into and out of a position of alignment with oppositesides of said discharge path of a folded sheet by movement of saidsubframe between said spaced apart positions on said panel and when saidpanel is subsequently moved to said closed position; and

D. means yieldably urging said feeding rollers and said working rollersinto coacting relationship.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said lastnamed meanscomprises means on said side plates mounting one of said shafts formovement toward and away from said other shaft, and spring meansinterconnected between said side plates and said one shaft for urgingsaid one shaft toward said other shaft to maintain contact between saidrollers.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said retaining meanscomprises a member mounted on and projecting away from said innersurface of said panel, said member having a camming surface disposed inthe path of said movable shaft to move said movable shaft against theforce of said springs, said member having a retaining surface againstwhich said movable shaft is pressed when said subframe is moved to saidother of said spaced apart positions whereby said shafts are maintainedapart sufficiently to remove the normal spring pressure from said feedrollers and said working rollers, and said working assembly is retainedin said other of said spaced apart positions.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said working assemblyincludes means for engaging at least one of said shafts in drivingrelationship with said means for driving said roller components of saidvroller assembly, said engaging means being responsive to said workingassembly being placed in said one position on said panel being placed insaid closed position.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said engaging meanscomprises a driven element mounted on said one shaft and adapted toengage a driving element on said folding machine when said workingassembly is in said one position on said panel and said panel is inclosed position.

1. In a paper folding machine having a frame, means supported by theframe for holding a stack of sheets and for feeding said sheets seriatimfrom the stack, means including a feeding and folding roller assemblymounted on said frame for sequentially folding said sheets as the latterare received by said latter means from said feeding means and fordischarging the folded sheets from between a pair of cooperating rollersof said roller assembly on a discharge side thereof, and means fordriving the roller components of said roller assembly, the improvementcomprising: A. a unitary working assembly located on said discharge sideof said roller assembly and adapted, when in an operative position toperform a working operation on a folded sheet passing therethrough; B.means movably mounting said working assembly on said frame for selectiveinplace movement between said operative position in which said workingassembly is disposed in the discharge path of a folded sheeT beingdischarged by said cooperating rollers of said roller assembly and aself-storing position in which said working assembly is disposed out ofsaid discharge path; and C. means for retaining said working assembly ineach of said positions.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 whereinsaid working assembly comprises: A. a subframe movably mounted on saidframe; B. a pair of shafts rotatably supported by said subframe; and C.a plurality of coacting feed rollers and working rollers carried by saidshafts for simultaneously feeding a folded sheet between said shafts andperforming a working operation thereon when said working assembly is insaid operative position whereby said feed rollers and working rollersare removed into and out of said discharge path of a folded sheet bymovement of said subframe between said operative and storage positionsrespectively.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said meansfor movably mounting said working assembly on said frame comprises: A. apanel pivotably connected to said frame for swinging movement toward andaway from said frame between a closed position and an open position inwhich the inner surface of panel is accessible; and B. means pivotablyconnecting said working assembly to said inner surface of said panel forswinging movement between opposed spaced apart positions on said panelwhereby said working assembly assumes either said operative position orsaid storage position when said panel is in said closed position.
 4. Theapparatus according to claim 3 wherein said paper working assemblycomprises: A. an elongate generally rectangular subframe connected tosaid panel to normally lie in a plane perpendicular to said dischargepath of a folded sheet; B. a pair of shafts rotatably supported on saidsubframe longitudinally thereof; and C. a plurality of coacting feedrollers and working rollers carried by said shafts for simultaneouslyfeeding a folded sheet between said shafts and performing a workingoperation thereon when said working assembly is in said operativeposition whereby said feed rollers and said working rollers are movedinto and out of a position of alignment with opposite sides of saiddischarge path of a folded sheet by movement of said subframe betweensaid spaced apart positions on said panel and when said panel issubsequently moved to said closed positions.
 5. In a paper foldingmachine having a frame, means supported by the frame for holding a stackof sheets and for feeding said sheets seriatim from the stack, meansincluding a feeding and folding roller assembly mounted on said framefor sequentially folding said sheets as the latter are received by saidlatter means from said feeding means and for discharging the foldedsheets from between a pair of cooperating rollers of said rollerassembly on a discharge side thereof, and means for driving the rollercomponents of said roller assembly, the improvement comprising: A. asubstantially flat panel mounted on said frame on the discharge side ofsaid roller assembly and having an opening therein through which afolded sheet can pass; B. means pivotally connecting said panel to saidframe for swinging movement between a closed position in which an innersurface of said panel is spaced from said roller assembly and isperpendicular to said discharge path of a folded sheet, with saidopening being aligned with said discharge path, and an open position inwhich said inner surface of said panel is accessible; C. a unitary paperworking assembly mounted on said panel adjacent said inner face thereofand adapted, where in an operative position on said panel when thelatter is in said closed position, to perform a working operation in afolded sheet; D. means pivotably connecting said working assembly tosaid inner surface of said panel for selective swinging movement betweenopposed spaced apart positions in one of which said working assembly isdisposed adjacent said opening in said panel and in the other of whichsaid working assembly is disposed away from said opening in said panelwhereby, when said panel is moved to said closed position, said workingassembly is in said operative position or in an inoperative storageposition in accordance with whether said working assembly is placed insaid one position or said other position on said panel; and E. means forretaining said working assembly in either said one position or saidother position on said panel.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5wherein said working assembly comprises: A. a subframe having anelongate bar extending substantially across the working length of saidroller assembly, and side plates connected to said bar and extendingperpendicularly thereto; B. a pair of shafts rotatably supported by saidside plates; C. a plurality of coacting feed rollers and working carriedby said shafts for simultaneously feeding a folded sheet between saidshafts and performing a working operation thereon when said workingassembly is in said operative position whereby said feed rollers andsaid working rollers are moved into and out of a position of alignmentwith opposite sides of said discharge path of a folded sheet by movementof said subframe between said spaced apart positions on said panel andwhen said panel is subsequently moved to said closed position; and D.means yieldably urging said feeding rollers and said working rollersinto coacting relationship.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6wherein said last-named means comprises means on said side platesmounting one of said shafts for movement toward and away from said othershaft, and spring means interconnected between said side plates and saidone shaft for urging said one shaft toward said other shaft to maintaincontact between said rollers.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7wherein said retaining means comprises a member mounted on andprojecting away from said inner surface of said panel, said memberhaving a camming surface disposed in the path of said movable shaft tomove said movable shaft against the force of said springs, said memberhaving a retaining surface against which said movable shaft is pressedwhen said subframe is moved to said other of said spaced apart positionswhereby said shafts are maintained apart sufficiently to remove thenormal spring pressure from said feed rollers and said working rollers,and said working assembly is retained in said other of said spaced apartpositions.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said workingassembly includes means for engaging at least one of said shafts indriving relationship with said means for driving said roller componentsof said roller assembly, said engaging means being responsive to saidworking assembly being placed in said one position on said panel beingplaced in said closed position.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9wherein said engaging means comprises a driven element mounted on saidone shaft and adapted to engage a driving element on said foldingmachine when said working assembly is in said one position on said paneland said panel is in closed position.